Induced structural changes of a supported planar bilayer after exposure to halothane - A real-time atomic force microscopy study

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study the effect of the general anesthetic halothane on a supported DOPC phospholipid bilayer, under conditions of high anaesthetic loading. The presence of the anaesthetic in the lipid-induced restructuring of the supported bilayer, erosion of the bilayer from the mica surface, and the formation of lipid aggregates. Addition of halothane to lipid vesicles prior to adsorption on the mica surface inhibited the lysis of adsorbed vesicles and thus no planar bilayer formation was observed.